Flavor Inspirations:

SAVOR THE MEDITERRANEAN

Jul 09, 2018

I’m looking at the next culinary trend of 2018, and hints of the Mediterranean are everywhere. Mediterranean cuisine encompasses a wide range of styles, united by common ingredients and proximity to the coast: French, Italian, Spanish, Algerian, Moroccan, Egyptian, Turkish, Greek…and the list goes on. The region’s culinary building blocks of olives, wheat and grapes complement such bold and distinctive ingredients as harissa, a pepper sauce from Tunisia, a Moroccan spice blend called ras el hanout, preserved lemons, roast lamb and anchovies. American menus will start to incorporate these unique flavors, and take us boldly into the Mediterranean.

Expect to see Mediterranean flavors on menus this Summer, as chefs use ingredients from this sunny climate to create healthy and flavorful dishes. Look for really good olive oil, artichokes, eggplant cucumbers and tomatoes prepared in a wide variety of cooking techniques – roasted, grilled, sautéed, and even raw in salads.

On a recent trip to Nashville, I got to enjoy a great meal at Butcher and Bee – a casual restaurant offering local ingredients with a bit of Mediterranean flavors. Various dishes like spicy Turkish Hummus, a whipped Feta spread, and Shakshuka are among the offerings, as well as Green Eggs and Lamb (braised lamb with avocado hollandaise).

The healthy aspects and satisfying flavors of Mediterranean cuisine make it widely sought after in every style of foodservice – from fast casual, to fine dining; from campus cafes, to healthcare. Smaller lean animals and seafood are the prevalent proteins. Smaller portions are common, and the use of fresh herbs, spices, garlic and acidic olive oil allow the chef to add flavor while using less salt. We’ve heard about the Mediterranean Diet Plan for years. It’s really based on all of these concepts.